Position - Pre assessment Nurse in Outpatients
Location - Bristol
Salary - Dependant upon experience
Hours - Full Time
My client is a private sector healthcare company with a first class record of high quality patient care, excellent clinical outcomes, innovation and efficiency.
They work with the local NHS partners to offer NHS patients high-quality, rapid access to planned treatments across the South West.
Purpose of Role
To assist in the efficient running of the outpatient and perioperative service and co-ordinate the patient’s hospital admission from pre-admission to discharge ensuring that the patient’s needs are met, integrating high quality care in the most cost-effective setting. Ensuring an efficient and effective service that meets the required standards of relevant regulatory bodies.
To organise and undertake pre-admission screening of selected patients ensuring they are fit for surgery at the given site on the date allocated, taking the lead on developing the pre-assessment process to be nurse led where appropriate.
Ensuring all patients are fully informed of their proposed treatment plans and all questions are answered. Taking appropriate action for those patients who do not meet the inclusion criteria, managing appropriate referral onto other Consultants, or back to General Practitioners, for further assessment and treatment where indicated.
To provide leadership to the pre-assessment/admission/discharge of patients from the unit;
Scope of Role
The role has Clinical, Management, Education/Professional Development and budgetary responsibilities:
Management and leadership
- To work within and manage the surgical outpatient clinics and the periopertive area ensuring effective smooth running of all clinics, efficient recovery and discharge of all patients
- Under supervision provide clinical direction and leadership to junior colleagues and students, ensuring their development is flexible and adaptable to ensure the needs of the service are met
- To co-ordinate the use of resources ensuring that the planned care is clinically and financially risk assessed and the department is covered with staff who have the appropriate skills and competencies
- To act as a resource for the understanding of the care pathway, to ensure completion of accurate information and assessment
- Have the ability to manage themselves, and their workload, both individually and as a team member
- To support the development of the Nurse led Pre-admission clinics, using appropriate information systems and ensuring compliance with best practice, within an appropriate frameworks, i.e. NMC scope of Professional Practice
- To provide information/data to the Outpatient Manager that demonstrates the effectiveness and quality of the service
- Undertake investigation into any concern or complaint raised and provide a written response, to the Outpatient Manager when required. Be able to suggest and take corrective action to prevent further re-occurrence
- Maintain close communication with patients and their carers at all times ensuring that the patients receive a high standard of nursing care
- Be able to deputise for the Outpatient Manager as and when required
Clinical and professional roll
- At the pre-admission appointment undertake a comprehensive assessment to assess individual patient needs, diagnosing actual and potential problem(s) to enable the plan of care to be decided. This will involve using Mallampati scoring system, Goldman Cardiac assessment and the American society of anesthesiologist’s scale, to be able to carry out a basic anaesthetic assessment
- To perform required investigation and tests for the proposed procedure in accordance with NICE clinical guideline 3. The use of routine pre-operative tests for elective surgery and within the NMC Scope of Professional Practice and policies and Standard Operating Procedures(SOPs)
- Commence discharge planning and patient education to ensure that the patient / family understand the expected outcomes that are defined in the treatment plan. This may include availability/requirement of Community Services and Appliances if indicated
- To provide verbal and written information and advice to patients pertaining to the planned procedure
- To review tests and investigation results, highlighting those which may require action by Medical Staff. Liaise and discuss outcomes with the Hospitalist/Anaesthetist/Surgeon and or Specialist. Refer patients unfit for surgery back to the North Bristol Treatment Centre and ensure patients are referred onto other Consultants, General Practitioners, Dieticians for further assessment and treatment where indicated
- To work in partnership with the Patient Experience Co-ordinators to manage his/her own case load of patients, from pre-admission through to discharge, monitoring all aspects of care to ensure optimal clinical care in the most cost-effective setting
- Evaluate the Integrated Care Plans (ICP) where necessary. Revise and document any variances to the care in discussion with the MDT
- Play an active role in the Clinical Governance Strategy, working in close liaison with the appropriate personnel ensuring that Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) are recorded, monitored and achieved. Supporting the Day Unit Clinic Manager to review and analyse any variances to the expected outcomes of care and document in accordance with the agreed data collection programme
- To undertake any clerical duties as are appropriate to patient care
- To continually evaluate the methods used to implement/improve Nursing care and the effectiveness of problem solving techniques. Ensuing delivery of best practice
- To understand and become fully conversant with the competency model and its application. Ensure all new and existing members of staff have a competency profile relevant to their job role and are competent to safely perform all duties within the scope of their professional practice
- To take an active lead in ensuring that policies and procedures are implemented and reviewed in line with changes in practice to meet the needs of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulatory standards, (currently the Healthcare Commission “National Minimal Standards which remain in force until April 2010) and those of NHSLA
- To advise on and ensure all Unit policies and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are written and updated regularly
Education and qualifications
- Registered Nurse Level 1 with recovery or pre-assessment experience
- Teaching qualification/ ENB 998 or equivalent
- Evidence of continual professional development to meet NMC requirements
- Basic / Intermediate life support skills
- ECG and Venupuncture training
- To be registered with the appropriate professional body
Previous experience
- Minimum of 3 years relevant experience in acute care or elective surgical nursing of which a minimum of 1 year has been spent undertaking pre-assessments
- Experience in day care/ short stay and inpatient nursing
Skills, knowledge and abilities
- Knowledge and skills of acute surgical care provision
- Up to date hands on clinical skills including phlebotomy, IV drug administration and performing ECGs
- Ability to work closely with consultant users
- Strong decision making skills
- Ability to understand and work within set budgets
- Knowledge and experience of clinical supervision
- Computer literate
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Political and commercial awareness
- Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team.
- Ability to plan and prioritise own workload when under pressure.
For more information please contact Daniella Kent-Mckeown at Pulse Jobs on 0161 2454453 or email daniella.kent-mckeown@pulsejobs.com